Two Devices for Removing Sludge From Bioreactor Wastewater

Two devices a magnetic separator and a special filter denoted a self-regenerating separator (SRS) have been developed for separating sludge from the stream of wastewater from a bioreactor. These devices were originally intended for use in microgravity, but have also been demonstrated to function in normal Earth gravity. The magnetic separator (see Figure 1) includes a thin-walled nonmagnetic, stainless-steel cylindrical drum that rotates within a cylindrical housing. The wastewater enters the separator through a recirculation inlet, and about 80 percent of the wastewater flow leaves through a recirculation outlet. Inside the drum, a magnet holder positions strong permanent magnets stationary and, except near a recirculation outlet, close to the inner drum surface. To enable magnetic separation, magnetite (a ferromagnetic and magnetically soft iron oxide) powder is mixed into the bioreactor wastewater. The magnetite becomes incorporated into the sludge by condensation, onto the powder particles, of microbe flocks that constitute the sludge. As a result, the magnets inside the drum magnetically attract the sludge onto the outer surface of the drum

Humor styles influence the perception of depression-related internet memes in depression

symptom normalisation, research highlights possible benefits of depressive internet memes for depressed individuals. We examined whether individuals experiencing depressive symptoms would differ from controls in their interpretation of internet memes related to depression, whilst incorporating the mediating role of humour style. N=78 individuals with self-reported depressive symptoms (24 on CES-D) and 67 controls (23) rated the emotional valance, humour, relatability, shareability, and mood-improving potential of 32 depressive and control memes (depicting neutral/positive social commentaries). Measures of depression and humour style were also completed. Perceived humour, relatability, shareability and mood-improving potential of depressive, but not control, memes were greater amongst individuals displaying depressive symptoms. However, differential ratings of humour, shareability and relatability were mediated by the extent of ones self-defeating humour style. These outcomes further evidence benefits of interacting with depression-related internet memes for those with depression

Overall and cancer related mortality among patients with ocular inflammation treated with immunosuppressive drugs: retrospective cohort study

Context Whether immunosuppressive treatment adversely affects survival is unclear

Interobserver Agreement Among Uveitis Experts on Uveitic Diagnoses:The Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature Experience

• PURPOSE: To evaluate the interobserver agreement among uveitis experts on the diagnosis of the specific uveitic disease. • DESIGN: Interobserver agreement analysis. • METHODS: Five committees, each comprised of 9 individuals and working in parallel, reviewed cases from a preliminary database of 25 uveitic diseases, collected by disease, and voted independently online whether the case was the disease in question or not. The agreement statistic, κ, was calculated for the 36 pairwise comparisons for each disease, and a mean κ was calculated for each disease. After the independent online voting, committee consensus conference calls, using nominal group techniques, reviewed all cases not achieving supermajority agreement (> 75%) on the diagnosis in the online voting to attempt to arrive at a supermajority agreement. • RESULTS: A total of 5766 cases for the 25 diseases were evaluated. The overall mean κ for the entire project was 0.39, with disease-specific variation ranging from 0.23 to 0.79. After the formalized consensus conference calls to address cases that did not achieve supermajority agreement in the online voting, supermajority agreement overall was reached on approximately 99% of cases, with disease-specific variation ranging from 96% to 100%. • CONCLUSIONS: Agreement among uveitis experts on diagnosis is moderate at best but can be improved by discussion among them. These data suggest the need for validated and widely used classification criteria in the field of uveitis

The Risk of Intraocular Pressure Elevation in Pediatric Noninfectious Uveitis

To characterize the risk and risk factors for intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation in pediatric non-infectious uveitis

Ocular disease in patients with ANCA-positive vasculitis

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive vasculitis—the term recently applied to Wegener's granulomatosis—is a rare multi-system inflammation characterized by necrotizing granulomas and vasculitis. We investigated the ocular manifestations of this disease in a group of patients drawn from five inflammatory eye disease clinics across the United States. Of 8,562 persons with ocular inflammation, 59 individuals were diagnosed with ANCA-positive vasculitis; 35 males and 21 females, aged 16 to 96 years, were included in this study. Ocular diagnoses were scleritis (75.0%), uveitis (17.9%), and other ocular inflammatory conditions (33.9%) including peripheral ulcerative keratitis and orbital pseudotumor. Mean duration of ocular disease was 4.6 years. Oral corticosteroids and other systemic immunosuppressive agents were used by 85.7% and 78.5% of patients, respectively. Over time, patients with ANCA-positive vasculitis experienced 2.75-fold higher mortality than other patients with inflammatory eye disease

Periocular triamcinolone acetonide injections for cystoid macular edema complicating noninfectious uveitis

To describe the effectiveness of periocular corticosteroid injections in the treatment of cystoid macular edema (CME) complicating noninfectious uveitis. Retrospective cohort study. A total of 126 patients (156 eyes) were evaluated for presence of CME, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, degree of intraocular inflammation, and the presence of ocular complications. Main outcome measures included resolution of CME and visual acuity at the 1- and 3-month visits, failure of periocular injection therapy, and side effects. Twenty-eight percent of the 156 eyes had anterior uveitis, 22% intermediate uveitis, and 31% panuveitis. Of these eyes, 53% demonstrated clinical resolution of CME at 1 month and 57% at 3 months after a single periocular corticosteroid injection. Forty eyes were treated with >1 periocular injection because the CME persisted 1 month after the first injection (1 additional injection in 21 eyes; 2 additional injections in 14 eyes; >2 additional injections in 5 eyes). For the 21 eyes treated with a second periocular corticosteroid injection, 81% had no CME 1 month after the second injection and 48% had no CME 3 months after the second injection. Twenty-three eyes (15%) failed periocular corticosteroid therapy. Of eyes initially responding to periocular injection, CME recurred in 53% (median time to recurrence = 20.2 weeks). A halving of the visual angle was observed in 52% and 57% at the 1- and 3-month visits after injection, respectively. Fifty-three percent of eyes treated with a single periocular corticosteroid injection had clinical resolution of CME 1 month after the injection